Kids Connect Neighborhood

06/14/2026

06/14/2026

Reviewing the literature on ADHD, it is important to understand that there are still many things we do not fully understand about the brain. ADHD has been studied for decades, and research has identified important patterns related to executive functioning, attention, impulse control, emotional regulation, motivation, dopamine/norepinephrine systems, arousal regulation, and brain network development. At the same time, ADHD does not look the same in every child. Some children struggle more with inattention, some with impulsivity, some with emotional reactivity, some with task initiation, and some with regulating their energy level throughout the day.

This means we need to be careful not to oversimplify ADHD as one single problem, such as “a lack of focus” or “poor self-control.” The brain is complex, and ADHD likely involves multiple interacting systems rather than one clear cause. For parents, this matters because a child’s behavior may not always be explained by choice, attitude, or motivation. A child may be struggling because their brain and body are having difficulty organizing attention, regulating arousal, managing emotions, shifting between tasks, or sustaining effort. The more we understand ADHD as complex and still developing science, the more compassionate, flexible, and effective our parenting responses can become.

Article Review: Arousal dysregulation and executive dysfunction in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (2024)

A 2024 article in Frontiers in Psychiatry explains that ADHD may involve both executive functioning differences and difficulty regulating brain/body arousal. The review explains that ADHD is a highly variable neurodevelopmental condition, meaning children with the same diagnosis may have different underlying patterns of difficulty. Traditionally, ADHD has often been understood through executive functioning challenges, such as difficulty with inhibition, working memory, attention, planning, and self-regulation. However, the authors note that executive functioning difficulties do not fully explain every child’s ADHD symptoms, especially because some children with ADHD do not show consistent executive function impairment across all settings or tasks.

The review highlights state-regulation theory, which suggests that some ADHD symptoms may be connected to difficulty regulating brain and body arousal. In parent-friendly terms, this means a child’s nervous system may have trouble getting into or staying in the “just right” state for learning, listening, waiting, or completing tasks. This can help parents understand why movement, novelty, rewards, structure, sleep, food, exercise, calming supports, and predictable routines may make a real difference. The big takeaway is that ADHD behaviors are not simply willful disobedience; they often reflect a child needing support with both executive skills and nervous system regulation.

That means some children with ADHD may struggle because their brain is not in the right “state” for the task. They may be under-alert, over-alert, restless, bored, overwhelmed, or unable to sustain the energy needed to focus.

This matters for parenting. Instead of only asking, “Why won’t my child do this?” we can also ask: “Is my child’s brain and body ready for this task?”

For many kids with ADHD, support may need to come before correction.
Helpful parent shifts may include:
• Break tasks into smaller steps
• Add movement before focus tasks
• Use timers, visuals, and clear routines
• Reduce overwhelm in the environment
• Offer short, motivating challenges
• Give positive feedback quickly
• Support sleep, food, hydration, and exercise
• Notice when your child needs calming or alerting before expecting focus

This does not mean children should never have limits or expectations. They still need structure. But the structure works better when we understand the nervous system underneath the behavior. A child with ADHD may not need more shame. They may need more scaffolding, more co-regulation, more predictability, and adults who understand that attention is connected to the brain, body, energy, and environment.

06/12/2026

"Responsive, attentive relationships with a caring adult help build a strong foundation for a child’s brain architecture and for all future health and well-being. When an infant or young child babbles, gestures, or cries, and an adult responds with eye contact, words, or a hug, this back-and-forth interaction, known as serve and return, helps to build and strengthen neural connections in the child’s brain. These connections are essential for the development of communication and social skills. Much like a lively game of tennis, these exchanges are not only fun, but they also provide good, skill-building practice."

Discover how serve and return interactions—back-and-forth exchanges between a child and adult—play a key role in shaping brain architecture.

06/11/2026

Camp Kumbayah creates an amazing inclusive environment for kids! For many neurodivergent children, including kids with ADHD, Autism, sensory differences, anxiety, learning differences, or big emotional responses, the environment matters. Camp Kum-Ba-Yah Nature Center offers something many kids’ nervous systems need: space, movement, nature, connection, and supportive adults. Neurodivergent children are not “bad,” “too much,” or “not trying.” Their brains and bodies may process the world differently. They may need more movement, more sensory support, more time to transition, more co-regulation, or more flexible ways to participate.

That is one reason an outdoor camp like Camp Kum-Ba-Yah can be so meaningful.

🌳 Nature gives kids room to regulate.

Instead of asking children to sit still indoors for long periods of time, camp gives them opportunities to move, explore, climb, walk, swim, play, create, notice, and engage with the world through their whole body.

For many neurodivergent kids, movement is not a distraction. Movement is part of regulation.

🌿 Nature can support sensory needs in gentle, manageable ways.

Outdoor camp naturally offers sensory experiences: the sound of leaves, the feel of grass, rocks, dirt, water, sunshine, shade, wind, movement, animal sounds, group play, and quiet moments.

At a supportive camp, sensory experiences can be titrated, meaning children can experience them in small, supported, adjustable amounts.

A counselor might help a child:

• watch an activity before joining
• stand near the creek before touching the water
• use a stick or tool before touching mud or plants
• take a break from a noisy group game
• move closer or farther away depending on what their body needs
• try something new with encouragement, not pressure

This matters because the goal is not to force kids to “get used to it.” The goal is to help kids safely notice their body cues, build confidence, and learn: “What feels like too much, too little, or just right for my body?”

🌞 Camp builds real-life executive functioning skills.

At Camp Kum-Ba-Yah, kids practice skills like waiting, taking turns, following group routines, shifting between activities, remembering safety rules, solving problems, and working with others.

These are executive functioning skills, and they are often easier to practice when they are connected to meaningful, hands-on experiences instead of worksheets or lectures.

Camp supports social connection without forcing constant face-to-face conversation. Many neurodivergent kids connect best side-by-side, not face-to-face. At camp, friendships can grow while hiking, swimming, fishing, making art, singing, playing games, working on a challenge, or exploring nature together.

This gives children natural opportunities to practice communication, flexibility, teamwork, and repair after conflict.

🌲 Camp can help kids feel capable.

One of the most powerful things about nature camp is that kids get to experience themselves as capable.

“I climbed that.”
“I tried something new.”
“I helped my group.”
“I made a friend.”
“I got through something hard.”
“I noticed what my body needed.”
“I belong here.”

For neurodivergent kids, those experiences matter deeply.

Camp Kum-Ba-Yah gives children a place to be outside, unplugged, active, connected, and supported. For many neurodivergent kids, that kind of environment is not just fun — it can be regulating, confidence-building, and healing.

Kids do well when they feel safe, supported, and understood.

06/11/2026

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZD5hnDjRFs/?igsh=cHJkY3djbXZmczJ4

06/10/2026

https://youtu.be/wyMmlaNRlNA?si=cghKkAiAPZ06X8Pa

Help kids feel calm and focused with Stomp Stomp Blow, a fun and si...

06/09/2026

ADHD is traditionally diagnosed after age 6. But if your preschool student is abnormally hyperactive or impulsive, new evidence suggests your child may merit evaluation and treatment for ADD even younger.

Is your preschooler too young for an ADHD diagnosis? Revised guidelines may support evaluating and treating children for ADHD before age 5.

06/08/2026

*Edited with corrected link below*

Please join autism specialist, Bonnie Marquis, on June 18, 2026, from 12:00 - 1:00 pm, for a special, virtual presentation discussing ASD and the interoceptive system.
This event is free to attend but you must register using the QR code on the flyer or the link provided below. Once registered, you
will receive an invitation to access this virtual event.
The link to register is: b96ee0e8-3d2d-49de-ac3f-807e0897f9b7@239ab278-3bba-4c78-b41d-8508a541e025" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/b96ee0e8-3d2d-49de-ac3f-807e0897f9b7@239ab278-3bba-4c78-b41d-8508a541e025